servilla whitney llc

Servilla Whitney LLC • 33 Wood Ave S • Suite 830 • Iselin, NJ 08830 • www.dsiplaw.com

Phone: 732-815-0404 • Fax: 732-815-1330 © 2021 All Rights Reserved

Servilla Whitney LLC Intellectual Property Law

Firm Overview

Our energetic, skilled professionals are dedicated to providing practical advice and solutions to our clients. We

offer more than a combination of education and experience. We will help you achieve success by understanding

the pragmatic business decisions behind each matter you entrust to us and maximizing the opportunities your

ideas represent. Our clients know that we will quickly answer their call and provide a timely, sensible solution.

Working with Servilla Whitney LLC

Our team of professionals will assist you with all areas of intellectual property including:

Patents

Trademarks

Trade Dress

Unfair Competition

Trade Secrets

Litigation

Copyrights

We would like to know more about the IP challenges you're facing. We look forward to becoming part of the

solution.




Fine & Specialty Chemicals and Material Science

Our clients innovate across the spectrum of fine & specialty chemicals and materials science: from industrial

chemistry including catalysts, glass products, coatings, additives, lubricants and semiconductors to

pharmaceuticals, biochemicals, personal care, consumer healthcare, and household products. We work with

start-up clients just realizing the potential of an idea and with international corporations strategically building

their portfolios. We work closely with our clients as they discover new ways to apply technology, develop

new methods and advance scientific breakthroughs in order to maximize the value of their discoveries and

protect their R&D investment.

Understanding the nuances of patentability in these rapidly progressing fields often requires interdisciplinary

skills. The professionals of Servilla Whitney call upon both advanced degrees and industrial experience in

fields such as pharmaceutical and analytical chemistry, microbiology, chemical engineering, materials science

and medical and molecular genetics to build a team around your technology. We understand the science, but

just as importantly, we understand your goals, the competitive landscape and the circumstances unique to

your business.

Our Expertise

Servilla Whitney professionals have the expertise to effectively and efficiently manage IP portfolios that

include fine & specialty chemicals and materials science. We bring years of experience to preparation,

successful prosecution and strategic analysis of patents in the semiconductor, glass and ceramics, chemical,

molecular genetics, immunology, drug delivery, biochemistry, pharmaceutical, personal care, consumer

healthcare and household products sectors including such specific technology areas as: antibody technology;

catalysts; coatings; emulsions; enzymology; eukaryotic and prokaryotic genetic engineering; glass products

for electronic devices; liposome technology; microbiological fermentation; microencapsulation;

pharmaceutical active ingredients and excipients; plant extracts; polymer chemistry; rubber chemistry;

surfactants and rheological agents; synthetic additives, antioxidants and lubricants.




Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals & Consumer Healthcare

Our clients innovate across the spectrum of the life sciences: from the applied biological sciences to pharmacology and

chemistry, drug discovery and development, and the development and commercialization of consumer healthcare

products. Whether a start-up that is just realizing the potential of an idea or an international corporation strategically

building their portfolio, we work with clients discovering new ways to apply technology, develop new methods and

advance scientific breakthroughs in these rapidly progressing fields.

Understanding the nuances of patentability in the life sciences often requires interdisciplinary skills. The professionals of

Servilla Whitney call upon advanced degrees in fields such as chemistry, biology, microbiology, chemical engineering

and medical and molecular genetics to build a team around your technology. We understand the science, but just as

importantly, we understand your goals, the competitive landscape and the circumstances unique to your business.

Our Expertise

Servilla Whitney attorneys have been involved in the prosecution, licensing and/or litigation of patents in the

biotechnology, pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare product sectors including such specific technology areas as: high

throughput screening, pharmaceuticals, biologics, drug delivery, therapeutic methods and molecular diagnostics.

Servilla Whitney professionals have the expertise to effectively and efficiently manage IP portfolios that include

biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and consumer healthcare. We bring years of experience to preparation, successful

prosecution and strategic analysis of patents in the chemical, molecular genetics, immunology, drug delivery,

biochemistry, pharmaceutical, personal care, consumer healthcare and household products sectors including such specific

technology areas as: antibody technology; catalysts; coatings; emulsions; enzymology; eukaryotic and prokaryotic genetic

engineering; liposome technology; microbiological fermentation; microencapsulation; pharmaceutical active ingredients

and excipients; plant extracts; polymer chemistry; rubber chemistry; surfactants and rheological agents; synthetic

additives, antioxidants and lubricants.

Our Recent Experience

Freedom to Operate

Quickly and efficiently completed freedom-to-operate analyses of multiple complex multi-step chemical synthesis

proposals received from our client’s potential business partners, thereby enabling prompt, business-critical decisions

related to development of their new cancer drug.

Portfolio Strategy and Development

Developed and successfully executed a strategy to obtain multi-patent protection of methods of therapeutic use of our

client’s lead biological drug, including corresponding patent coverage internationally, thereby extending the commercial

life of the product in the face of expiring composition of matter patents.




Medical Devices & Drug Delivery

Specific examples of technologies handled by our staff include syringes, catheters, needles, scalpels, diagnostic

devices, ionospheres, catheters, delivery vehicles, and syringes.

Strategic Analysis

Provided freedom-to-operate analysis, competitive landscape analysis and strategic analysis and advice on

patentability including the likely scope of a 3rd party medical device patent application being considered for

license by our client, thereby enabling the client to reassess the business value of the technology and eliminate

the high cost of maintaining an option to license.

Pollution Control

Specific examples of technologies handled by our staff include catalysts, pollution control systems, and

catalytic converters for automobiles.

Semiconductors

Specific examples of technologies handled by our staff include power systems, semiconductor devices,

equipment design, manufacturing processes, and device design.

Optics

Specific examples of technologies handled by our staff include optical wave guide devices, optical wave guide

systems, photonic devices, optical sensors, and lenses.

Glasses and Specialty Materials

Specific examples of technologies handled by our staff include glasses for display devices, strengthened glasses

for mobile electronic devices, and automotive catalyst substrates.




Our Team

Rory Alegria

Sagar L. Antala

Jeffrey I. Blankman

Keith Merendino

Sunil G. Raval

Stephen A. Seach, Jr.

Nicholas A. Scoullos

Scott S. Servilla

Rebecca A. Smirk

Karen M. Whitney

Jonathan B. Wright




Rory Alegria

Member

Email: [email protected]

Overview:

• J.D., Rutgers School of Law–Newark

• B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of California – Berkeley

• Minor, Chemistry, University of California – Berkeley

• Admitted to the NJ bar in 2011 and the NY bar in 2012

• Registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Rory concentrates his practice on patents in the chemical and related fields, with a particular focus on medical devices,

pharmaceuticals and biologics. Rory's practice includes counseling, due diligence, opinions, patent preparation and

prosecution, and post-issuance proceedings.

More Detail:

Rory joined Servilla Whitney in 2011 and became a member of the firm in 2017. Prior to this, he interned in the

intellectual property department of a biotech company. Rory was also an intern in the chambers of the Honorable Michael

A. Shipp, U.S.M.J. and the Honorable Joseph A. Dickson, U.S.M.J.

At Servilla Whitney, Rory has prosecuted over 30 patents currently listed in the FDA Orange Book, including several

patents that have been upheld as patentable in inter partes review proceedings. Rory has worked with pharmaceutical,

biotech and medical device clients throughout all stages of product development, including drug discovery, clinical trials,

marketed products and development of next-generation devices. Rory has also counseled clients during product

acquisitions.

Rory has substantial experience in post-issuance proceedings at the USPTO, such as reissue applications, inter partes

review and reexaminations. Rory also has extensive experience with US and worldwide patent prosecution, including

Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

Rory is a member of the New York and New Jersey bars and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and

Trademark Office.

Outside of work, Rory enjoys traveling and sports, particularly football and basketball.




Sagar L. Antala

Associate


Overview:

• J.D., Franklin Pierce School of Law, Concord, NH

• PhD, Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA

• MS, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY

• B.Pharm, JSS College of Pharmacy, India

• Admitted to the MA bar in 2019

• Registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Sagar concentrates his practice in the areas of biotechnology, chemistry, pharmaceuticals and biomedical devices,

performing domestic and international patent preparation and prosecution, as well as clearance studies.

More Detail:

While in law school, Sagar focused his studies in intellectual property, taking courses in patent law, patent preparation

and prosecution, patent office litigation, BioInnovation research collaboration and the law, fundamentals of intellectual

property, intellectual property management, and technology licensing.

Sagar’s doctoral research was focused on structural and functional characterization of the human transmembrane protein

ZIP4. Sagar used numerous biochemical and biophysical tools including transport assay, fluorescence spectroscopy,

circular dichroism, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and computational modeling for his research.

Sagar joined Servilla Whitney in 2020. Prior to joining, Sagar worked as a patent professional for a Massachusetts based

agriculture bioscience company. Sagar has experience in IP due diligence, freedom-to-operate analysis, patent landscape

analysis and trademark prosecution.

Outside of work, Sagar enjoys traveling.




Jeffrey I. Blankman

Member


Overview:

• J.D., Rutgers University School of Law, Camden;

Ph.D., Chemistry, The University of Maryland, College Park;

B.A., Chemistry, Franklin & Marshall College.

• Former Research & Development Scientist and Laboratory Manager for major generic Pharmaceutical

Companies.

Jeff focuses his practice on patents in chemistry, materials science, textiles, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Jeff

assists clients in developing patent portfolio and prosecution strategies and provides IP evaluation and due diligence

support.

More Detail:

Jeff joined Servilla Whitney in 2007 after over eight years of experience in corporate practice with large companies in the

pharmaceutical industry. These include divisions of Wyeth (Formerly Wyeth-Ayerst) and Baxter Healthcare. Jeff has had

roles in research organizations, advising on intellectual property matters relating to product development. Jeff’s practice

centers around patent drafting and prosecution, opinions and analysis and managing intellectual property portfolios.

Jeff’s Ph.D. research at The University of Maryland focused on the electrochemical properties and electron transfer

kinetics of heme proteins. Before pursuing a career in patent law, Jeff developed generic drugs as a Research and

Development scientist with ESI Lederle, a division of Wyeth-Ayerst. After Baxter Healthcare purchased ESI Lederle

from Wyeth, Jeff continued his scientific career as a R&D laboratory manager while attending law school.

Jeff is a member of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bars and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and

Trademark Office.

Outside the office, Jeff enjoys woodworking, golf and spending time with his family.




Keith Merendino

Patent Engineer

E-mail: [email protected]

Overview:

• B.S., Mechanical Engineering, The College of New Jersey

More Detail:

Keith joined the firm in 2019. A graduate of The College of New Jersey, he earned his bachelor’s degree in

mechanical engineering, obtaining knowledge in areas such as computer aided drafting and SolidWorks and

programming. Today, he supports clients in the medical device, drug delivery and semiconductor equipment

and processing industries. Keith is directly involved in all phases of the preparation and prosecution of patent

applications.




Sunil G. Raval

Member


Overview:

• J.D. , Rutgers Law School

• B.S., Biology, Rutgers University

• M.S., Pharmaceutical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology

• Admitted New Jersey and New York


Sunil’s practice includes opinions, counseling, and patent and trademark application preparation and prosecution for large

and small corporate clients.

More Detail:

Sunil received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Rutgers University, graduating cum laude.

Sunil received his Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law- Newark and received his Masters in

Pharmaceutical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. While at the New Jersey Institute of

Technology, Sunil was inducted into the Tau Beta Bi National Engineering Honor Society and the Alpha Epsilon

Lambda, Graduate Student Honor Society.

Prior to joining Servilla Whitney, Sunil was an associate attorney at a boutique intellectual property law firm in New

Jersey and at a New York law firm, where he gained extensive experience preparing and prosecuting patent applications

in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, chemical and mechanical arts. He also has experience preparing

freedom-to-operate opinions in the pharmaceutical, chemical and mechanical arts.

Prior to joining private practice, Sunil served as a Deputy Attorney General in the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office,

Department of Law & Public Safety-Division of Law. As a Deputy Attorney General, Sunil prosecuted professional

licensing matters and participated in litigation involving the marketing of ephedra-based dietary supplements on behalf of

the N.J. Office of Consumer Protection. In his tenure as a Deputy Attorney General, Sunil served as the New Jersey

representative for the National Association of Attorneys General (N.A.A.G.) Health Fraud Working Group which

coordinated litigation and enforcement of state laws in concert with federal and multi-state authorities and he was

commissioned by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to participate in investigation and prosecution of consumer

fraud cases on behalf of the State of New Jersey. Sunil is conversational in the East Indian dialects of Gujarati and Hindi.




Stephen A. Seach, Jr.

Associate


Overview:

• J.D., Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University

• B.S., Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia

• Minor, Mathematics, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia

• Pending admission to NY bar and NJ bar


More Detail:

Stephen joined Servilla Whitney in 2021. During law school, Stephen interned for a patent law firm where he handled

patent preparation and prosecution and for a general intellectual property law firm where he handled design patent and

trademark matters.

Stephen focused his studies on intellectual property in Hofstra’s Intellectual Property Law Honors concentration, taking

courses in patent law, copyright and trademark law, antitrust, sports law, and an intellectual property law survey

course. Stephen also served as the President of Hofstra’s Intellectual Property Law Association.

At Servilla Whitney, Stephen's practice focuses on and trademark matters and patent preparation and prosecution in the

areas of medical devices, semiconductor devices and processes and biopharmaceuticals and pharmaceuticals.

Outside of work, Stephen enjoys spending time with his fiancée, playing golf and watching baseball and basketball.




Nicholas A. Scoullos

Associate


Overview:

• J.D., Rutgers School of Law- Newark

• B.S., Mechanical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology

• Admitted to the NJ bar in 2019, Pending admission to NY bar

Nicholas concentrates his practice on patents in the fields of medical devices and semiconductors fields. Nicholas'

practice includes counseling, due diligence, opinions, patent preparation and prosecution, and post-issuance proceedings.

More Detail:

Nicholas joined Servilla Whitney in 2019. Prior to his legal career, Nicholas worked professionally in the electrical

engineering and power distribution fields. During law school, Nicholas interned for a law firm in patent law, for a solo

practitioner in patent law, for a university’s in-house patent counsel and for the Rutgers Intellectual Property Law Clinic.

Outside of work, Nicholas enjoys photography, woodworking and working on his off-road jeep wrangler.




Scott S. Servilla

Member


Overview:

• J.D., Seton Hall Law School;

B.S., Ceramic Engineering, Rutgers University;

• Former In-House Intellectual Property Counsel for Fortune 500 Companies

Scott’s practice includes counseling, portfolio development, opinions, application preparation and prosecution in the areas

of patents and trademarks for large and small corporate clients.

More Detail: Scott is a founder of the firm. His practice includes patent procurement, opinions, trademark procurement and counseling, due diligence, and litigation support. Scott received a B.S. from the Rutgers University College of Engineering in Ceramic Engineering, which included courses and research in materials engineering, optical fibers and waveguides, organic chemistry, and electronic properties of dielectric materials. Prior to law school, as an engineer, he worked at a small company researching formulations for grinding and polishing semiconductor substrates and memory disks and then as a process engineer and shift supervisor at an optical fiber manufacturing facility. At Seton Hall University School of Law, Scott served as an editor for Seton Hall Law Review and graduated cum laude. Scott worked in several law firms and Fortune 500 companies before joining the firm to expand the firm’s patent and trademark prosecution practice. During his tenure in-house, Scott developed and managed patent portfolios related to optical fibers, photonics, semiconductors, liquid crystal displays and medical devices. Scott's broad experience has included counseling and litigation related to Hatch-Waxman (ANDA) disputes, counseling and litigation on trademark and copyright matters, and preparing invalidity and freedom to operate opinions. Some of the technologies Scott has handled include chemistry, catalysts, materials science, glass for display devices and mobile electronic devices, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, drug delivery, photonics, fiber optics, and nanotechnology. Scott counsels large corporations in the procurement and management of extensive worldwide IP portfolios, as well as smaller companies in the development of patent protection and portfolios. Scott is married and father of two sons. Scott has coached his sons’ tee ball, baseball, soccer and mountain biking teams. He has also been an active volunteer firefighter for more than 34 years, serving as an interior firefighter, apparatus driver, line officer and grant writer, successfully procuring several federal grants for firefighting equipment.




Rebecca A. Smirk

Member


Overview:

• J.D., Seton Hall University Law School

B.A., Swarthmore College; Chemistry and Economics

• Admitted to the NJ bar in 2009, the NY bar in 2010, and the PA bar in 2016

• Registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since 2007

Rebecca’s practice includes counseling, opinions, due diligence, and patent preparation and prosecution in the fields of

chemistry, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and medical devices.

More Detail:

Rebecca returned to Servilla Whitney in 2018. In prior roles, Rebecca was Director and Executive Patent Counsel for a

large international pharmaceutical company, where she managed multiple patent portfolios for branded(specialty)

medicines, served on several specialty project teams, prepared and prosecuted patent applications, performed patentability

analyses, freedom-to-operate evaluations, non-infringement and validity opinions, and IP due diligence and counseling.

Rebecca initially joined Servilla Whitney in 2011. Before pursuing a career in intellectual property law, Rebecca spent

ten years as a research scientist at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, where she worked on developing new medicines.

While attending law school, Rebecca worked as a medicinal chemist. She is a named inventor on several patents and has

several publications. During law school, Rebecca completed an Intellectual Property concentration and was a member of

the Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Board.

Rebecca is a member of the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania bars and is registered to practice before the United

States Patent and Trademark Office.

Rebecca lives in Yardley, PA with her husband and daughter. In her community, she volunteers for the Girl Scouts of

Eastern Pennsylvania as the Sandy Run Service Unit Manager, overseeing more than 40 Girl Scout troops in her

community, as well as volunteering as a Girl Scout troop leader. Rebecca enjoys camping, hiking, and cooking.




Karen M. Whitney

Member


Overview:

• J.D., Seton Hall University Law School, cum laude, 2001;

B.S., Cornell University, with distinction, 1992.

• Admitted to the NJ bar in 2001 and the MA bar in 2007.

• Registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since 2002.

Karen practices in the areas of patent and trademark law. She has wide-ranging experience in worldwide patent

procurement, opinion work and clearance studies, due diligence, and IP counseling in the fields of chemical engineering,

chemistry, and pharmaceuticals. She counsels clients in a range of technologies that have a variety of needs. She also is

experienced in trademark procurement and counseling.

More Detail:

Karen is a managing member of Servilla Whitney. Prior to joining Servilla Whitney in 2006, Karen spent five years at a

large patent boutique firm in Philadelphia, where she participated as an associate in patent application drafting and

prosecution as well as litigation activities for patents and trademarks.

Throughout her career, she has counseled clients in technical areas such as chemical formulations, latex articles and

processing, knitted products, personal products, air pollution catalysts, synthetic lubricants, water filtration devices,

medical devices, drug delivery devices, small molecule pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, contact lenses, and glasses.

As a patent holder with experience as a chemical engineer in both research and manufacturing environments, Karen easily

relates to inventors and technical personnel. Out of college, she worked in a laboratory for Mobil where she worked on

clean fuel technologies for about a year. After that, she spent five years in a manufacturing facility making synthetic oils,

where she was a plant engineer, quality control supervisor, and a technology transfer engineer. While in law school, she

concentrated on intellectual property and was a member of the Seton Hall Law Review.

Karen is a registered patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She is also a member of the bars

of New Jersey and Massachusetts.

In her community, Karen is active as a school board member and town volunteer. She enjoys golfing, nature walks, bike

riding, reading, and going to baseball games with her family.




Jonathan B. Wright

Associate


Overview:

• J.D., Rutgers University School of Law – Newark

• B.A., Chemistry, Grinnell College

• Admitted to the NJ bar in 2014 and the NY bar in 2015.

• Registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Jonathan concentrates his practice in the areas of chemistry, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and semiconductors, performing

domestic and international patent preparation and prosecution, as well as clearance studies.

More Detail:

Out of college, Jonathan worked in the research and development labs of an international cosmetics company for eight

years. During his tenure, Jonathan worked to develop new product formulations and was granted several patents based on

technologies transferred from other cosmetic fields.

While in law school, Jonathan focused his studies in intellectual property, taking courses in patent law, patent claim

drafting, copyright and trademark law, entertainment law, advanced intellectual property law and a seminar in science and

international law. Jonathan also served as the Patent Chair of the Rutgers Intellectual Property Law Society.

Jonathan joined Servilla Whitney in 2017. Prior to joining, Jonathan provided patent prosecution assistance at a boutique

intellectual property law firm in New Jersey as well as an international technology licensing firm. Most recently, Jonathan

served as the general counsel for an IT consulting services firm.

Outside of work, Jonathan volunteers on his local zoning board and as the finance manager for his church.

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